falloutfanonfandomcom-20200222-history
Swallow Hills
Swallow Hill 'is a small town in California, utilized as a shelter for the inhabitants of the wasteland in the post-war world following the nuclear destruction of the United States of America. Originally constructed as both a showcase town and pleasure village, a "''thanks" of sorts for returning United States Armed Forces in the later 1940s at the end of the Second World War, it would go on to form a close knit community of returning soldiers and entrepreneurial civilians, though the latter would end up forming the majority of the populace. Said populace was well into the 400,000 mark by the late 20th century, whereupon the big technological push began, with increasingly available nuclear powered technology became widely available and usable, giving the town an almost futuristic and utopian feel, precisely the atmosphere that those incharge of Swallow Hills wished to accrue. This was very much the case on the eve of the Great War, where the inhabitants either fled to the safety of the nearby Vault 42, reached improvised shelter or perished in the nuclear holocaust, their technological gains doing nothing to prevent the destruction that ravaged the town. Those that remained would form the thin vestiges of life on the surface following atomic annihilation. History Originally started as an example of the "American Dream" in post-world-war America, Swallow Hills was designed as a community for returning veterans and civilians, injected with a synthetic brand of small-town Americana, with construction beginning in 1946 and ending in 1949. The homes were modern, the grass was green and the picket fences were white. Just one of the many symbols of American prosperity, an insular community with almost as much of a synthetic quality as the Botox in many of the resident housewives faces. With the development of atomic power in the 1950s, the community adapted to new technology quickly. Appliances of all sorts appeared on the market, adapted to this new energy, with Swallow Hills grabbing the products quickly and greedily. With every leap in technology, the growing town welcomed it in, scrambling to secure these new gems, much to the consternation of older generations. Indeed, when Nuka Cola first rolled out in the 2040s, Swallow Hills boasted some of the first stocks of the soft drink on sale in the American market. The town, by middle of the 21st century, boasted a population of just over 1,500, from a town that once, in the mid-20th century had a population of barely a hundred. Mr. Handy's tended lawns, made coffee and handled barbecues, Atomic powered cars drove through freshly paved streets flanked by green lawns and Protectron robots served drinks and maintained law and order in both the town's numerous bars & cafes and police force, respectively. Families could go to one of the many cinemas to watch Captain Cosmos on the big screen or go over to the modest town zoo to see exotic species in a comfortable environment, whilst couples could go out for a romantic evening at a restaurant or, for the younger couples, an ice-cream soda at the numerous malt shops. An American dream. Of course, this outward appearance often hid underlying problems. For instance, the town's financial woes incurred by the race for the latest technology, with even the creation of a supercomputer, nicknamed L.A.D.D.I.E., failing to provide the much needed instantaneous repairs to it's tattered economy due to the slow and costly building work for this supercomputer, taking a huge toll on the mayor's office and local government giving rise to ever-higher taxes, accusations of corrupt local law enforcement and emergency services, and of course the ever present fear of nuclear annihilation, of which was furthered by the aggression and animosity the two remaining superpowers of the world, China and the US, had against each other. Then, in 2066, China invaded Alaska. Some of the residents enlisted to fight, many tearful goodbyes were said and, also, many fears were confirmed. The perceptive, or perhaps paranoid, felt that China would not just simply give up in the event of war. They felt the glow of Atomic power years before the Cult of Atom began preaching about it; and not in a good way. Many residents dug into their perfectly manicured backyards and created improvised fallout shelters, stocking them with fresh treats and preserved meats, waiting for what they viewed as the inevitable. Others contented themselves with newly constructed Pulowski Preservation Shelters, whilst some just followed the old "Duck-and-Cover" instructions given to them since kindergarten. Vault-Tec, growing steadily at around this time, was all to keen to present the town with a proposal, taking advantage of the dire financial straits the town found itself in, a proposal that would lay to rest, at least partially, some residents fears of what they viewed as impending nuclear war - a Vault. An underground shelter designed to save all, at least according to the Vault-Tec sales pitch, of the residents of Swallow Hills. Vault-Tec's tentative proposal was well received and accepted within days of being made by way of unanimous vote. A ticker-tape parade was organized the day that construction began. It was a time to feel alive and secure, safe in the knowledge that they would be safe; and the ignorance that their lives meant nothing to Vault-Tec, that their new Vault, Vault 42, was instead a petri dish for a secretive control group within the government - the Enclave. When the Vault's construction was finally finished in 2074, despite numerous hiccups and complaints about sinkholes and improper construction, reservations were made instantly by the paranoid or those seeking peace of mind for a place in the expansive Vault. The rest of the population delayed their decision, preferring to simply wait and see whether such a costly investment would be truly worth it. Those without an ability to foresee, or the budget to afford a place in the Vault, took comfort instead in the numerous military victories and advances in Military technology, such as power armour, that had secured such victories. celebrating the victories in Alaska and overseas with patriotic flag-waving at the occasional military appreciation day, mocking caricatures of the Chinese military being kicked off of cliffs in propaganda serials on both the big and little screen or enjoying refreshing Nuka Cola Victories. The L.A.D.D.I.E supercomputer finally came online in the same year as the finishing of the Vault, offering some relief to the town's political and business establishment; all seemed peaceful and back to normal for the town. On October 23rd 2077, the day seemed fairly normal. The homefront in Alaska was secure, the war against China was ultimately successful abroad and all but won, at least in American eyes, and overall prosperity in America, despite the rationing of food and fuel, played an important role in reasurring citizens of not only Swallow Hills, but numerous locations throughout the nation. Many relaxed in their homes and their workplaces and switched on their radios or televisions, looking forward to a lazy day at home or productive day in the office - only to have their regularly scheduled programming interrupted by terrified and frantic reports of nuclear attack. Sirens set up by the Civil Defense teams prior now blared in the Commercial district and suburbs. The lucky and fortunate who'd bought out shelter in the Vault took shelter in the vast subterranean shelter whilst neighbours and friends were turned away by armed security. Those caught in the streets took to shelter in Pulowski Preservation Shelters, underneath park benches or in cafes and bars. Those caught at home practiced the ill-thought-out but well intentioned duck and cover method. Those who had prepared descended to their well-stocked basements or shelters, prepared, at least in their minds, for the end they always knew would come. When the first blasts came, the EMP wav es saw to the backlog of motorists trying to drive both out of and in to the town whilst the blinding light saw to those who were looking directly towards the blasts. The first shockwaves caused already subsiding buildings to collapse, thanks to shoddy Vault-Tec digging, damaging the Vault's reactor and setting in motion the chain of events that would later cause the Vault's residents such misery, though for now these new residents were only just stepping into the corridors as the Vault door slid shut, as they watched what, for many of them, would be the last time they saw natural sunlight shining in. Then followed the huge dust-clouds, brought up by the explosions, flinging cars, debris and even citizens into the air as they rumbled across the land in the wake of the huge mushroom clouds that now rose up to block the view of the sun and blot the sky. Within hours, it was all over, at least in terms of initial impact. The little community lay in tattered ruins, survivors crawling or clawing their way out of ruined buildings and shattered homes, pristine dresses and smart suits creased and crumpled, covered in brick dust and mortar, the wearers coughing and wheezing, throwing off their high heels and their crumpled hats. Many others found themselves trapped beneath crushed tables or desks in ruined homes or offices, doomed to die alone, screaming for help that would never come, as other survivors fled or looted the town. Those structures that remained intact and inhabited were soon overrun by desperate and violent citizens, scowering through the still-burning ruins of the town, with once harmonious families murdered by once welcome neighbours. For a time, the US Army remained intact, with a small contingent remaining in the burning town, though they too soon abandoned the town, though not before partaking in looting and violence against residents, shooting those they had once waved at happily and encouraged to support them. The American dream had come to an Ignominious end. In the years following the disaster, little recorded history remained. Many of the former residents left their once grand town to the mercy of the elements and newly mutated creatures. Fallout, radioactive storms and harsh suns ensured that the only thing green left in the town was the faded signage and billboards advertising all sorts of pre-war goodies. Mr. Handy's still continued with daily chores, despite the former homes having collapsed in on themselves and their employer's now dead. By 2100, the only citizens left in the ruined hell-hole were Ghouls and Feral Ghouls, notably one Herman Long, a ghoul of repute owing to his past as a travelling salesman in the pre-war days. Eventually, wandering survivors, both Human and Ghoul, would go on to form the first vestiges of civilization in the practically abandoned town. The settlers would go on to appoint the now pseudo-celebrity Herman to be the mayor of the newly founded settlement, partly because of his experience in pre-war administration and mostly because of his comedic-relief value due to his bumbling and clumsy nature. Whilst most settlers congregated in the fairly fortified commercial district, settled right in the middle of the town, others would head into the outskirts of the town either to partake in fairly loose farms and ranches, criminal activity in the form of banditry and raider parties whilst others sought shelter directly outside of the Vault's main entrance, waiting for the opportunity to enter, however far-fetched that chance seemed to be. The old Mr. Handy's were repurposed and resold, the old Protectron's also, the old buildings were converted into homes and businesses and, for the first time in nearly 200 years, the town now had a population close to it's pre-war heyday, replete with a newly founded militia, aptly named the Swallow Hills Militia, which saw relative success from its founding in 2104 onwards. In 2134 the reactor of Vault 42 suffered catastrophic damage and following a severe meltdown, leaving the Vault severely depopulated and the spread of radiation beneath ground working its way to the surface, irradiating some of the few pockets of water located in the town, forcing the town to become reliant on outside sources to bring in fresh water, crippling many small farms and leaving the town at the mercy of the increasingly demanding water merchants of California. Even when the relatively new New California Republic formed, the water merchants still held arguably as much power as the Brahmin barons, limiting the effect of many legislation and regulation against their morally ambiguous practices, with the town still unable to attain NCR representation due to the bureaucratic and slow processes of the NCR senate and interference of powerful elements in the senate still determined to maintain their own power, not keen to combat new elements vying for control. In 2214, when the Vault finally opened, a large amount of Vault residents left to explore the outside world whilst a large amount of town residents left the surface for the "safety" of the Vault. The result was a settlement now filled with relatively unsure and out-of-depth former Vault dwellers, whilst the Vault found itself filled with thuggish, hardened survivors from a world that many of the original remaining residents were horrified and disgusted by. With distrust and discord present in both towns, mutual partnership was brokered more out of necessity than trust. Water from the Vault was dispatched to the surface, freeing the town partly from the ruthless grip of the water merchants still present in California, despite NCR regulation and legislation meant to prevent such extortion, in return for food and salvage that could be used to maintain the Vault, due to a loss of the surplus in the irradiated sector of the Vault, being delivered to the Vault. In 2269, the newly arrived Lucan Seville began to make his presence known, with the formerly struggling Raider gangs and groups suddenly rejuvenated and on the attack, threatening the smaller ranches and outlying residences and wiping out militia patrols, with the militia struggling to combat this new threat thanks to the reforms and removals made by Seymour Hendrickson as part of his ideological blitz on the group. On the political stage, meanwhile, a growing power struggle emerged between the elderly new-arrival Marian Lane, the owner of the relatively newly-opened Sampson Hotel butting heads with Herman Long. The two, originally having arranged a deal for Marian to buy the hotel, were now butting heads over the leadership of the town. Robots *'''Protectron: The reliable Protectron robot can be found in many places in Swallow Hills, from the old decaying ruins of commercial district businesses to long abandoned homes. Many also work for L.A.D.D.I.E., the neurotic automated financial-advisor buried in the ruins of the outer commercial district, serving as eyes and ears for the supercomputer. Protectrons, once the manual-labourers of pre-war society, now form one of the many threats to Scavengers and Raider groups; working as both workers and soldiers in the new and bloody world. *'Mister Handy:' Many of the residents of Swallow Hills, not to mention businesses and political establishments,had in their employ at least one Mister Handy robot. The mainstay domestic servant of the US consumer now roams the remains of Swallow Hills; some remain in the employ of long dead masters, or have since been reprogrammed to take new ones and run new businesses; mostly bars and brothels. *'Sentry Bot: '''The large, tank-like Sentry Bot, abandoned by both the US Military and Vault-Tec following the Great War, can be found in relatively sparse numbers; very few remain active after the hundreds of years of decay, but those that do remain intact provide the greatest threat faced by Scavengers in the modern, swamp-like wasteland of Swallow Hills. Protectron.png Mister Handy.png Sentry Bot.png Creatures *'Radroach: Where once the humble insect spray and exterminator could kill a nest of these little pests, now a 9mm must suffice. Having grown in size since the war, the Radroach of post-war America leaves a bad taste in the mouth of many of Swallow Hills' residents, both when it is alive and vicious and when it is skewered on a stick cooking over a campfire. *'Bloatfly: '''The ugly and unappreciated Bloatfly cuts a swath of low-scale damage and annoyance across the remains of Swallow Hills, launching putrid maggot filled projectiles at its prey to try and paralyze them. Ranchers curse these flying pests for attacking their livestock, more often than not blasting the flying bugs out of the sky. *'Red Eyes: 'The zoo of Swallow Hills once boasted one of the most exotic, albeit modestly sized, collection of exotic species, one of which was the humble American Crocodile. Following the Great War these Crocodiles, much like their southern brethren, mutated into Red Eyes, adopting the nature of an apex predator. Of course, these creatures soon emigrated to the ruins of the Suburbs, namely to where flooded sinkholes and swampy terrain had formed following the sinking into and explosion of Vault 42's main reactor. These creatures, from afar, appear benevolent and lazy, belying their agility and aggresiveness. Many a hapless scavenger or hunter, too cocky and keen to get either meat and hide or hidden pre-war treasures, and far too many a lost settler, having spotted what he thinks is a person from afar, has fallen foul of these creatures and their hidden ferociousness. *'Green Hide: 'Another animal that owes its current habitat of Swallow Hills to the zoo's pre-war reptillean stock, Green Hides are the descendants of the common American Alligator. Where once these creatures were kept in enclosures specifically designed for them, Green Hides find themselves swimming in the flooded ruins of the Suburbs, fighting for territory with Red Eyes, attacking Ranches and devouring the odd over-zealous Raider. *'Feral Ghoul: 'Once the friendly faces of Swallow Hills, with their botox and makeup and pipes and fedoras, the proud military servicemen and law enforcement and merry Civil-Defense agency workers, now the ravenous killer corpse-like mutants that serve as one of the greatest threats in the old offices and crumbling homes of Swallow Hills. Feral Ghouls come screaming and hissing at their prey, usually cocky scavengers and lost settlers. Though dispatched easily when on their own, in groups these creatures often overwhelm over-confident prey with savage intensity. *'Brahmin: 'Domesticated, docile and dull - the three D's that essentially sum up the lowly Brahmin of Swallow Hills, the descendants of the pre-war Cow. Used by both ranchers and traders as both livestock and pack mules respectively, making up the majority of revenue generated for the town in the thriving Brahmin trade of California. *'Dogs: Man's best friend, so they say, inevitably survived the nuclear holocaust in one form or another. The humble Dog, once the gentle pets of the relaxed suburbanites, now serve as guards, pets and tracking dogs for all manner of employs; ranches, scavengers and even slavers. *'Vixens:' Once the humble Gray Fox, a pest that could usually be frightened away by a simple flashlight as it rummaged through overfilled garbage cans congregated in the suburban driveways and commercial back-alleys, now a snarling beast, mutated by radiation and FEV concentrates, not to mention mating with the more common genetically modified pre-war creature, with the humble flashlight doing nothing to deter it, bringing in a demand for heavy caliber rifle rounds. The Vixens serve as a large threat to many of the citizens of Swallow Hills, both in terms of life and livelihood. Whilst some concentrate solely on human prey, especially wandering vagabonds and careless ranchhands, some seem strong enough to wrangle with the largest Green Hides and Red Eyes. Radroach.png Bloatfly.png Red Eye Transparency Test.png Green Hide.png 64px-Feral ghoul.png 64px-Swamp ghoul.png 64px-Ghoul Roamer.png Brahmin_FO3.png Dog.png Vixen Swallow Hills.png Citizens of Note *'Herman Long:' A former salesman of repute from prior to the war, Herman Long worked as a simple salesman for everything from Nuka Cola novelty lamps and brooms. Following the Great War, this salesman became the unofficial leader of the first vestiges of civilization and finally the mayor of the settlement, providing his own "extreme experience in politics" ''as he states, to better manage the town. Despite his ''"extreme experience" ''the mayor struggled and still struggles to maintain the town's economy, also struggling to bolster his rather unpopular public image thanks to his awkward manner and bumbling character. *'Marian Lane: A rough-'n'-ready bartender originally from The Hub who moved to the town to escape NCR taxation, Marian Lane is known in town as, from her own admission, a "Tough old bitch" who has come to be an accepted and thoroughly loved figure, mostly due to her pragmatic manner and tendency to give free drinks to those she likes. Her alcoholism is rarely taken into account, mostly due to the amount of fellow alcoholics warming up to her in her hotel. *'Gordon Potts: '''One of the few ranchers to double as a veterinarian in the area and one of the most respected ranchers in the trade, Gordon Potts is seen not only as a gifted veterinarian and rancher, but also as somewhat of an odd fellow, namely due to his adoption and parental attachment to a Red Eye that he since named Bob, the latter of which follows him everywhere. Many respect him as one of the success stories in Swallow Hills, but tend to give him a wide berth nowadays owing to his rather ''teething Red Eye "son". *'''Seymour Hendrickson: The latest leader of the town's militia, Seymour Hendrickson is famous for his charm, wit, stunning charisma and uncanny knack for making the right friends in all the right places. His schmoozing of local powerhouse personalities has made him plenty of money and power, something that he has had a strong love of since his days in Redding, but has also fuelled animosity towards him from certain elements of society who view him as a corrupt and ineffectual leader. *'Simon: '''The sole Super Mutant inhabitant of Swallow Hills and also one of it's most popular pseudo-celebrities thanks to his knowledge of literature and poetry prose, Simon has been known as perhaps one of the few pseudo-celebrities in town to become such not because of how loud or quirky his words were, but of how soft spoken and enthralling his words were, and how his actions seemed to carry with them a weight that not many others in Swallow Hills could manage. He is most famously known for his reading sessions at the Sampson Hotel, but is also mostly know for his book-clubs on Mondays. *'Lucan Seville:' The sadistic, brutal and pseudo-aristocratic leader of one of the largest coalitions of Raider gangs in Swallow Hills to date, Lucan Seville is a Nocturnal mutant famed for his murderous rampages and eerie presence, owing to his imitation of vampiric fiction in the belief that his ''"kind" ''are continuations of these mythical creatures with an inherent superiority over all other species in the wastes. Those who follow for often do so with fanatical loyalty, which has led to more than one spooked mumur of terrifying powers that the man, if he can even be called a man, has. Significant Factions *'Swallow Hills Militia: 'The Swallow Hills Militia, set up around 2104, the militia serves as the main force of defense in Swallow Hills, armed with old police .38 Revolvers and Submachine guns, the former of which serves as the most common weapon. Despite being relatively well equipped, the group has rarely, if ever, fought a significant foe, save for the odd Red Eye or Feral Ghoul, leaving the majority inexperienced, over-paid and sloppy. *'Lucan's Raider Groups: 'Whilst not a uniformly organized and equipped group like the Swallow Hills Militia, nor an organization that stands under a single banner, the threatening and intimidating character of Lucan Seville has inspired some of the many raider groups to pool their resources and present a true threat to the town; with the ever looming menace of Lucan's forces hanging over the town, both lone ranchers, settlers and militiamen dread this effective, and intimidating, force of motley murders and monsters, the latter of which can be applied sometimes litterally as well as figuratively. Significant Locales *'Suburbs: 'Originally a tranquil and beautiful example of pre-war America, where the hot-button issue was whether or not the neighbours were having an affair, the suburbs now stand as a battered shell of sparsely populated homes, where either settlers looking to carve out a new life for themselves in the post-war world, addicts going into hiding to escape drug-related debts or Bandit and Raider alike lie in wait to find the next victim exist; not always peacefully. *'Commercial District: 'The main center of town both in the pre-war and post-war world, forming the economic hub and main living center in the town respectively, once boasting movie theaters, malt shops and even a small zoo, replete with reptiles and exotic birds, where families would go out and enjoy a night out in the lively district, now a battered collection of ruined buildings populated by scavengers, settlers and traders carving out an existence in the old town. The district holds the old mayor's office, now standing as Long's private residence, numerous trading posts and stores and a variety of residences and other businesses, ranging from brothels to military surplus. *'Sampson Hotel: 'The Sampson Hotel was a pre-war establishment, formerly a hotel and theater, boasting 3-star service and complementary room service, turned back in to a hotel by Marian Lane following the Great War, with the theater being turned into a strip tease and bar. It became the center of post-war commerce for the town, with everything from sex workers to professional poetry readers taking the stage, the latter of which being led mostly by Simon. Traders, wanderers and settlers would meet and still do meet to trade and chat in the old hotel. Drinks cost extra for newcomers, however, especially for those who criticise the cleanliness of the rooms. *'Vault 42: '''The nearby Vault-Tec facility, Vault 42, stands as one of the last bastions of pre-war society; both its good and its bad. The Vault stood sealed for numerous years, with the residents attempting to emulate life as it was above ground prior to the nuclear bombardment of the United States, but was eventually opened to the wastes following a series of events that nearly destroyed the entire Vault, leaving access open to Wastelanders who passed stringent entry exams. Though a close trading partner with the town, a large distrust between the two entities exists, with the trading between them made more out of neccesity than trust. Gallery Swallow Hills.png|The Tranquil Paradise of Pre-war America Vault 42 Construction.png|Vault 42's Early Days As A Construction Site Outside Of Swallow Hills Swallow Hills Kitchen.png|The Standard Idyllic Kitchen Of Swallow Hills Swallow Hills Living Room.png|The Standard Idyllic Living Room Of Swallow Hills Swallow Hills Bathroom.png|The Standard 'Idyllic' Bathroom Of Swallow Hills Swallow Hills Bedroom.png|The Standard Idyllic Bedroom Of Swallow Hills Swallow Hills Commercial District.png|Swallow Hills' Commercial District In The Post-War World Swallow Hills Suburbs.png|Swallow Hills' Suburbs In The Post-War World Swallow Hills Sinkhole.png|One Of The Numerous Sinkholes In Swallow Hills' Suburbs Swallow Hills Bedroom Post-War.png|A Post-War Bedroom In The Suburbs Swallow Hills Living Room Post-War.png|A Post-War Living Room In The Suburbs Swallow Hills Kitchen Post-War.png|A Post-War Kitchen In The Suburbs Swallow Hills Bathroom Post-War.png|A Post-War Bathroom In The Suburbs Swallow Hills Post-War Store.png|One Of The Many Post-War Swallow Hills Stores Swallow Hills Holiday Cottage.png|A Post-War Room In The Sampson Hotel Category:Places Category:Communities Category:New California Republic